6 of 9The new Viper will come with an SD card reader, USB port and an 1/8"-inch input. Note the Nurburgring detail beneath the ports.

Photo by SRT

7 of 9The new Viper finally has a spot for Apple's iPad.

Photo by SRT

8 of 9SRT worked with Ferrari supplier Sabelt on the new Viper's interior.

Photo by SRT

9 of 9SRT's photo shows the new Viper with traction control fully defeated.

Photo by SRT

Just hours after the new Viper made its public debut at the New York auto show, the comment sections of certain Web sites began filling with vitriolic rants from those who think that the Viper has lost its edge.

The new Viper is lighter, stiffer and more powerful than the 2010 model it replaces. SRT's halo car packs more performance-enhancing technology than a New York Yankees roster. On paper, it looks poised to obliterate the performance standards of previous Viper models.

As everyone expected, the 2013 SRT Viper is also a good deal more refined than previous Vipers. A Sabelt interior, an eight-inch video display and a variety of built-in electronic gizmos are all part of SRT's efforts to make the new Viper appeal to a range of potential customers who prefer that the interior of their $100,000 supercar doesn't feel as if it belongs in a Dodge Caliber.

The Viper didn't have ABS until 2001, and everyone who drove one knew in their hearts that the car would be faster with the help of that particular bit of technology that was by then practically ancient.

Ask just about anyone who has sat in a pre-SRT Viper, and they will tell you that the improvements SRT made were necessary if the Viper was to be seen as a credible alternative to almost any of the other high-end performance cars on the market.

As mentioned, there are those who absolutely know that these so-called refinements are nothing more than another step in the march toward a future where vehicle safety features become the omnipresent hand of Big Brother. The inclusion of a government-mandated electronic stability system has been a particularly visible point of Very Serious Internet Discussion.

For all those who have cried out for SRT to confirm that the electronic nannies can be turned all the way off, peep the gallery posted above. SRT anticipated your consternation and provided a nice photo of the dash with its big digital gauge cluster showing a picture of a little Viper fishtailing through what appears to be some kind of golden liquid. Above the image, the text reads, “ESC Full Off.” Below the image the text reads, “Traction Stability Deactivated.” Finally, there is a little “ESC OFF” icon and another fishtailing, graphic Viper.

There you have it, bench racers and forum trolls: Should you at some point find yourself behind the wheel of a 2013 SRT Viper, the iron fist of big government will not stop you from burning the Viper's rear tires clean off—unless, of course, you try to do it on a government-owned public roadway. In that case, you will totally be stopped.

Rory Carroll
- Rory Carroll is a graduate of Michigan State University, a concours d’elegance and vintage-racing hanger-on and a past winner of the Index of Effluency Trophy at the 24 Hours of LeMons.
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